Adrift by Will Dean: Control, Claustrophobia, and Writing Psychological Fear

In this episode of Quick Book Reviews, Philippa is joined by bestselling author Will Dean to discuss his haunting psychological thriller Adrift — a novel that explores control, isolation, and the quiet terror of living with someone who manipulates from the shadows.

Will talks candidly about his off-grid life in the Swedish woods, why he writes his first drafts in intense six-week bursts, and how emotional stories like Adrift can take years to fully realise.

Together, they discuss:

• Writing while living off grid and why isolation fuels creativity
• Why Will avoids the publishing “noise” and trends
• How Adrift took five years to complete, despite a fast first draft
• Writing claustrophobic tension without exhausting the reader
• The psychology of control, gaslighting, and quiet manipulation
• Writing from a child’s point of view and the emotional toll it takes
• Why Will leaves much of the violence off the page
• The fear and excitement of starting a new novel
• How rereading favourite books shapes his writing
• The current reading crisis and why encouraging children to read matters more than ever

Will also shares what he’s currently reading, why he rereads authors like Shirley Jackson and Sarah Waters, and answers the most important question of all: what powered the writing of Adrift (spoiler: frozen dates, not biscuits).

A thoughtful, intense, and revealing conversation about storytelling, fear, and the importance of noticing unheard people in unseen places.

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